Lift Bridge brews sweet surprise

Published August 15, 2013 at 11:31 am

Mini-donut flavored beer to be sold at State Fair The Ball Park Cafe will serve Lift Bridge Brewery’s mini donut beer in a cinnamon-and-sugar rimmed glass during the Minnesota State Fair from Aug. 22 through Sept. 2. (Photo courtesy of Lift Bridge Brewery)

Lift Bridge Brewing Co. has brewed a beer that would make the donut- and beer-loving Homer Simpson happy.

The Stillwater-based craft brewery will serve its first-ever mini donut-flavored beer exclusively at the Ball Park Cafe on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds from Aug. 22 through Sept. 2.

Dan and David Theisen, co-owners of Ball Park Café, teamed with the Lift Bridge Brewmaster Matt Hall to craft a special, state fair beer that pays tribute to the ultimate tastes and smells of the ‘Great Minnesota Get Together.’ Mini donuts are one of classic state fair favorites that came to mind.

“The Ball Park Café is the leader when it comes to craft beer at the Minnesota State Fair, and we believe this project is an example of that,” said Dan Schwarz, CEO and co-owner of Lift Bridge Brewing. “We did several test batches to develop a mini donut beer recipe that would give taste buds the ultimate state fair experience. We are feeling great about the final recipe and hope it is a home run with fair goers.”

Lift Bridge Brewing’s mini-donut beer has a warm tan color resembling the exterior of a mini donut. A malty base and natural flavors give this sweet sipper enough rich flavor without overwhelming the palate. Mini-Donut will be served in a cinnamon-and-sugar rimmed glass.

“The craft brewing trend has taken off in Minnesota,” said Dan Theisen. “Every year, a new dish is made specially for the state fair. But what about beer? We want to give Minnesota State Fair attendee’s an experience unlike anything they have ever seen or tasted. It may not be on a stick, but I think this will definitely get people talking.”

Mini-Donut was created by Lift Bridge in 2013. The beer’s alcohol-by-volume is 5 percent. The beer will be sold at Ball Park Café, alongside Lift Bridge Farm Girl and Lift Bridge Hop Dish IPA. Ball Park Café is located on Underwood Street outside The Garden.